Stockpiled the beer? Picked the popcorn? Great. But there's still one more thing for you to do before the big game kicks off: Design your very own pigs-in-a-blanket.

Oh, wait, were you planning to go with the basic model? They'll do in a pinch. But in just three simple steps, you can go beyond cocktail wieners and puff pastry, giving this old-school party snack an all-star makeover.

You've prepped your wings (or drumsticks!), loaded up your nachos, and stocked your fridge with sausage. So you probably think you're all set for the big party this Sunday night, right? Wrong. You're not ready until you have a batch of something seriously snackable for guests to munch on from kick-off to the final whistle.

That's where popcorn fits in. Here are five batches to whip up. Some are salty, some are sweet, some are spicy--but they're all crunchy and addictive.

When it comes to chicken, we're not the only ones who advocate going to the dark side. By now most people know that chicken thighs are not only more affordable, but also more flavorful than chicken breasts. But what about the other half of the chicken leg, the oft-forgotten chicken drumstick? This cut is just as cheap (if not cheaper), juicy, and meaty as the thigh--and they have the finger-food fun of wings.

For a lot of the country, Winter Storm Juno was nothing more than 5 inches of disappointment. All that preparation, all that unearthing of blankets and flashlights--it was all for naught. And don't even get us started on the groceries we stockpiled.

Actually, let's do get started on those. If we don't, all those groceries will go to waste. Let's turn all those pantry products and loaves of bread into a few seriously delicious meals. Yesterday, our food editor Rhoda Boone shared some great ideas on how to do just that with the NYPost; here, we share the recipes need to pull those dishes off.

At the Epicurious Test Kitchen we believe in cooking from scratch. We are home cooks who love the process of every step that goes into preparing a meal. Except that sometimes we don't. Because sometimes, we need to get dinner on the table faster than it would take if we washed and dried all our salad greens and peeled all our veggies. So when we shop the produce aisle at our local grocery store, we sometimes--sometimes--buy certain fresh fruits and veggies pre-prepared.

We're not maniacs, of course. We have standards. These seven pre-prepped produce items are cool; stay tuned for our story on those that aren't.

Peeled and seeded butternut squash If your supermarket sells it peeled, seeded, and halved, that's your best bet, since you can still control how you want to cut it. If you're going to be pureeing it into a soup, though, may as well go for the peeled, seeded, and cubed version.

Peeled and cooked beetsLook for cooked and peeled beets vacuum-sealed in plastic--it saves you the effort (and mess!) of cooking and peeling beets for your favorite beet salad.

Cubed pineappleMost fresh fruit is better when you eat it moments after peeling and slicing it. Fresh pineapple, however, stays fresh for a few days after cutting. Whether you're simply eating it (we like it with a pinch of chili and salt) or mixing it into a salad or salsa, be sure to use it within a couple days of purchasing.

Peeled garlicIf you're making any recipe that calls for more than 10 cloves of garlic--let alone 40--go ahead and buy that garlic already peeled. The cloves stay fresh for about two weeks in the fridge.

Peeled pearl onionsPearl onions are notoriously annoying to peel, and freshly peeled pearl onions will keep in the fridge for about 10 days, so what's the downside? Go ahead and buy them pre-peeled and indulge in a side dish of glazed pearl onions.

Baby carrotsThis one is probably the one you're already buying, right? Those peeled and "baby" portioned carrots are so easy to munch for instant snacks. But they're also a handy cooking shortcut. Making pureed carrot soup? Just throw those babies straight in the pot.

Pomegranate seedsA sprinkle of fresh pomegranate seeds gives a winter salad new life. If you really don’t want to get the seeds out yourself, look for a package of pomegranate arils--but look out for juice hanging around in the bottom of the container, which can lead to sliminess.

Sometimes a cookie craving comes on strong and you need cookies fast--like five minutes ago fast. If that's happened to you--hey, maybe it's happening to you right now--fear not. With short ingredient lists and even shorter baking times, these eight crave-satisfying cookie recipes are just what you need:

Chocolate Brownie CookiesSomewhere between a fudgy brownie and a chewy chocolate chip cookie, these naturally gluten-free cookies only take six ingredients and about half an hour to make.

Chocolate Chip CookiesYou'll need an electric mixer and just about half an hour to make this version of chocolate chip cookies with crunchy edges and soft centers.

Nutty Crunch CookiesIf you have a food processor, 50 minutes to spare, and a desire for perfectly crunchy nut-filled cookies, this recipe is for you.

Chewy Molasses CookiesYou may think of ginger-spiced cookies as belonging to the holidays, but they’re great any time of year. They take about 45 minutes to make and stay fresh for days, making them perfect for packing in lunch boxes.

Tahini CookiesTahini isn't just for hummus! You'll need to use a food processor to make these rich sesame cookies, but they'll be done in just 45 minutes.

Lauren's Peanut Butter Kiss CookiesA batch of classic, crowd-pleasing peanut cookies topped with chocolate kisses comes together in less than a hour, and keeps in an airtight container for about three days.

Winter snowstorms--whether in your area or halfway across the country--are opportunities for excuses. An excuse not to work. An excuse to stay in sweatpants all day. And an excuse to drink hot chocolate.

The flipside of that excuse: If you're stuck at home all day with not much else to do but watch the snow fall, there's no reason not to make your hot chocolate the best it can be. Here are a few ways to give your drinking chocolate an upgrade.

If you have a can of white beans in your pantry (or two...or eight...), this is the time to use it. These cans are perfect for snow days, because they offer quick, hearty dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks--all with not much more effort than it takes to open a can. Creamy, comforting, protein-rich, and white like the snow outside, canned cannellini, navy, and Great Northern beans can all be used interchangeably in most recipes calling for white beans. Here's our 7 favorite things to do with a can of white beans.

Once upon a time, sugar might have been simple. Now it's anything but. Sugar isn't sugar anymore--it's turbinado sugar, superfine sugar, coconut sugar.

Is it too much? Actually, it's not enough--this is the best time for sugar fiends, as all of these varities have unique flavors, textures and personalities. You just have to know what those traits are and how to best exploit them. Which is exactly what we break down in this definitive sugar buying guide.